Waterloo’s CAP program offers students a supportive start to their pharmacy journey
Moving more than eight hours away from home to attend the University of Waterloo was a major change for Luca Roy (CAP 2025). As an only child raised in a close-knit family, the transition broadened his horizons and opened the door to new opportunities. Attending the Conditional Admission to Pharmacy (CAP) program in the Faculty of Science offered a supportive pathway to help him navigate both university life and his future in pharmacy.
“It was a big change moving far from my family in Sault Ste. Marie, living on my own and starting university,” says Roy. “However, being in CAP immediately surrounded me with like-minded individuals that I could easily connect with, allowing me to meet new people and to try new things.”
Beyond a pathway toward pharmacy, CAP gave Roy an immediate sense of belonging. A key benefit of the program is the lookbook students receive, which introduces students to peers in their cohort as well as upper-year mentors.
"It was really helpful being able to recognize faces during orientation and in my classes," says Roy. "The CAP lookbook provides opportunities to start conversations and make connections right away."
That sense of connection continued throughout the year through events and peer mentorship. For Roy, having a built-in network made pursuing pharmacy feel less daunting.
"You know you're not alone in your journey," he says. "There are other people following the same path as you and encouraging each other along the way.”
Students in CAP build a foundation in pharmacy before applying to Waterloo’s program. The program sets students up for eligibility for a PharmD interview, if all CAP requirements are met, and helps them build a network early on in their academic journey. That foundation transformed an intimidating transition into a supportive and engaging experience for Roy. It encouraged him to try new things by getting involved beyond the classroom.
"I felt free to discover new hobbies and participate in unique experiences," says Roy. "Waterloo is a perfect place to try new things and meet people I never would have crossed paths with back home, all in a small, student-oriented city.”
During the program, Roy found the School of Pharmacy advisors to be of great assistance and easy to talk to. The CAP program also has a buddy program, where incoming first-year students are paired up with a second-year student, to assist them with their university transition.
“The buddy system was really helpful for me,” Roy says. “CAP does an excellent job at connecting you with upper year students, who are easy to talk to and eager to help.”
Choosing pharmacy as a career path was important to Roy because of the wide range of opportunities the profession provides. Initially, he worried that entering a specialized program might limit his opportunities.
"My biggest fear was that I'd be limiting myself,” he says. “But I discovered that CAP introduces you to pharmacy from day one and opens doors you didn’t know existed," says Roy. "The fact that I'm still figuring out exactly what I want to do doesn't scare me anymore, it excites me.”
Luca Roy at Kuk Sool Won Sault Ste Marie Canada promoted to first-degree black belt. Photo credit: Phil and Christine Roy.
Luca Roy holding his valedictorian medal at his highschool convocation. Photo credit: Phil and Christine Roy.
Looking ahead, he is particularly looking forward to Waterloo's PharmD co-op opportunities. The ability to gain experience across different areas of pharmacy before choosing a long-term career path was one of the factors that attracted him to Waterloo.
After exploring hospital, community and research settings, he is strongly considering one day returning to Sault Ste. Marie to serve the community that raised him.
"I'd love to come back and be a health care provider in my hometown," he says. "Being able to help the people who supported me growing up would be really meaningful."
As he prepares for his second year in CAP, Roy is eager to continue to explore opportunities at Waterloo, deepen his connection to the School and mentor incomings students, just as his own CAP buddy supported him. For students considering the program, he encourages them to embrace new experiences and put themselves out there.
"I've built strong connections, discovered new interests and gained confidence in my future," he says.